Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review it.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying her claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service. The bilateral hip and knee disabilities are not directly related to service, but may have been aggravated by the service-connected pes planus.

The Board has determined that tinnitus is related to acoustic trauma in service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as there is no legal basis for the assignment of a schedular evaluation higher than the current 10 percent for tinnitus. The issues of PTSD, tremors, hearing loss, and prostate cancer are being remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his service, with the Board finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding these issues.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have been incurred in service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to in-service exposure to loud noise. The claims for heart disease, diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, and carpal tunnel syndrome are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the etiology of his right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus claims.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to address the etiology of his diagnosed conditions.

The Board has determined that service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and depressive disorder is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including CLL, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, hypertension, headaches, GERD, lumbar spine disorder, shoulder disorders, hip disorders, leg disorders, and a psychiatric disorder are denied. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not established as prior to January 23, 2014.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, which arise from a common etiology, render him unemployable due to his profound hearing loss that significantly impacts his ability to communicate with others. The Board grants entitlement to a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were initially denied in 2008. After the receipt of additional service treatment records, including some from his Air Force Reserve period, the VA granted service connection effective November 21, 2007.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or caused by military service and is less likely than not a symptom associated with his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, thus meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD based on a verified in-service stressor, effective from the date of receipt of the original claim (July 2, 2004). The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus remain pending.